England women suffered an extraordinary collapse, losing their last seven wickets for 25 runs as India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match one-day international series at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht (4/25) was the wrecker-in-chief, bamboozling the visitors’ middle and lower order to bundle them for 136 after scoring 202 after being put into bat.
Some staunch lower-order resistance from the Indian tail took them to a respectable total after suffering their middle-order failed to make an impact. Opener Jemimah Rodrigues (48) and captain Mithali Raj (44) played important knocks. Pacer Jhulan Goswami (30) and wicket-keeper Taniya Bhatia (25) also chipped in vital runs down the order to take India past the 200-run mark.
Pacer Shikha Pandey removed Amy Jones and the returning Sarah Taylor early but skipper Heather Knight (39*) and Nat Sciver (44) steadied the chase with a 73-run stand for the fourth wicket. It was Bisht who broke the partnership with a stunning no-look throw at the non-striker’s end to remove Sciver. Knight could only watch Bisht and Deepti Sharma clean through the rest of the England batting order.
Brief scores
India women 202 in 49.4 Overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 48, Mithali Raj 44, Jhulan Goswami 30; Sophie Ecclestone 2/27, Nat Sciver 2/29) beat England women 136 in 41 overs (Nat Sciver 44, Heather Knight 39*; Ekta Bisht 4/25) by 66 runs.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!